The present invention relates to a rod magazine for a firearm, having a channel for holding cartridges in a stack and having a feed for feeding the stack to a channel end which is overlapped by magazine lips which hold the top cartridge in the stack back in the channel direction, but allow it to move approximately transversely with respect to the channel direction beyond the rod magazine, with the channel being equipped with guide strips, which run in the channel direction, for the shoulders of the cartridges.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a rod magazine 1 such as this according to the prior art in the form of a perspective view (FIG. 1) and in two different operating positions, in the form of a section, in conjunction with a repeating rifle 2, a detail of which is illustrated (FIGS. 2, 3) . The rod magazine 1 has a channel 3 for holding cartridges 4, 4′ in a stack. Side guide strips 5 in the channel 3 act as a stop for the shoulders of the cartridges 4, 4′ and as sliding aids during their movement upwards. A feeder 6 which is loaded by a magazine spring (not shown) feeds the stack to the channel end 7.
In its rearward part, the channel end 7 is overlapped by magazine lips 8 which hold the respective top cartridge 4 in the stack back in the channel direction (at the top in the illustrated example), but at the same time allows movement of the cartridge 4 approximately transversely with respect to the channel direction (to the left in the illustrated example) beyond the rod magazine, in order to load the rifle 2. For this purpose, an attachment 9 on the breech 10 engages between the magazine lips 8 and acts on the bottom of the cartridge 4 in order to insert it into the firing chamber 11 of the barrel 12, by a forward movement of the breech 10.
As FIGS. 2 and 3 show, the head or the neck of the cartridge 4 during this process runs on guide edges 13, 14 of the firing chamber 11, which can lead to slight deformation and asymmetry of the cartridge, adversely affecting the firing accuracy.
It has therefore already been proposed to use rod magazines which are matched to the respective weapon and to the respectively used cartridge caliber, in order to minimize the risk of deformation of cartridges during loading. However, the known designs are always restricted to the specific weapon/magazine/caliber combinations.
The object of the invention is to overcome the described disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a rod magazine for a firearm, which allows cartridges to be fed better, including cartridges of different caliber.